Tips to balance your hormones

Hormones. Does that word conjure up feelings of moodiness, concern about acne, sugar cravings, irritability, weight gain, the feeling of being at war with your body?

The endocrine system, which is a series of glands responsible for secreting hormones, is an amazing but delicate system, especially in women. It’s fascinating, really. Your brain communicates with your thyroid, adrenals and ovaries to trigger ovulation and menstruation all the while regulating your metabolism, mood, energy levels, weight and sex drive.

Women these days are wearing many hats– they’re on top in their careers and are managing families and home life after 12 hour work days. This type of stress can cause your hormones to go haywire. Blame cortisol, your main stress hormone, which spikes during times of stress, and it stays elevated due to the chronic stressors modern life presents. While cortisol is not bad, chronically high cortisol can become problematic. Chronic stress can drain your female hormones, especially progesterone. (The other main female hormone is estrogen). Low progesterone can cause menstrual irregularities, depression, breast tenderness, mood swings, insomnia, low sex drive, fatigue, and anxiety, to name a few.

If you’re experiencing a worsening in PMS, changes in your cycle, or any of the above symptoms, listen up. Here are 4 tips to get you started balancing your hormones– and you can start right away.

4 Tips to Balance Your Hormones

1) Lay off the sugar & wine. Are you self medicating with a glass (or bottle) of wine every night to unwind? Or are your sugar cravings overpowering during the day? Sugar and booze are 2 of the biggest endocrine disruptors, and they contribute to the stress you’re already enduring. Sugar causes inflammation and feeds bad bacteria in your gut (read: causes bloating, heartburn, constipation, diarrhea), and wine overloads your detox system, which needs to be kept in good working order to metabolize your hormones and contribute to overall hormone balance. Kick both and feel better in a week. Your hormones will be happier too. See the below resources section for help.Click here for more about how to stop sugar from ruining your life.

2) SLEEP. Sleep is the best Rx for stress. We don’t get nearly enough of it. We’re burning the candle at both ends, and our hormones are paying for our on-the-go lifestyles. Lack of sleep causes high cortisol, weight gain, sugar cravings, and… fatigue. Get 8-9 hours nightly. Don’t be afraid of a 20 minute nap on the weekends (or during the workday). Click here for my tips to get better zzzzs.

3) Support your liver. As I mentioned, your liver is in charge of metabolizing hormones and plays a crucial role in hormone balance. Your liver is your hardest working organ, so be kind to it. It has to filter everything you eat (including medications), drink, breathe, and apply to your skin. So ditch the sodas, sugar, booze, white flour and chemical-laden processed foods. Swap them out for liver-loving cruciferous veggies, organic proteins and eggs, leafy greens, beets and carrots, and green veggie juices. Need a jumpstart?Download my book for a 21 day program to cleanse your liver.

4) Fix your stressful relationships. This one may take some time, but you can start by asking yourself these questions: are you trapped in an unhappy or unhealthy relationship? Be open and honest. Would seeking therapy help? Examine all the close relationships in your life and figure out how you can improve them. Your emotional wellbeing is crucial to happiness and hormone balance. Finding a spiritual path can help– whatever speaks to you. It can be meditation, worship, etc. Click here for a practice to keep your grounded and centered during the day.

I often recommend herbal tinctures or supplements to help. I like blends with adaptogenic herbs and vitex (chasteberry) or wild yam. I also recommend saliva hormone testing to see where your hormones are, then I can design a program to balance them. This female support product is highly recommended.